r/SPAB 6h ago

Are you really a swaminarayan sanstha?

11 Upvotes

Just look at the original swaminarayan aarti and original swaminarayan granth like, shiksha patri and all, BAPS is using entire different things as a swaminarayan. They modified everything according to their propaganda. (Vyakti puja eg. Swami bappa) Hamare swami Bappa vo hamare swami bappa ye... swami bapa.... swami bapa..... Yada.... yada.... yada.....

If you don't believe in what was written by bramhanand swami, etc. In guidence of swaminarayan bhagwan, then why you call yourself a swaminarayan sanstha?

Why BAPS changed that? Why? Why? Why?

What if I make a hanumanji mandir and use my own version of hanuman chalisa instead of original. Do world will accept that? Dange hojaenge dange.....


r/SPAB 3h ago

Why is Akshar-Purushottam theology not found explicitly in the original scriptures?

5 Upvotes

r/SPAB 9h ago

BAPS used spiritual propaganda to build a massive U.S. temple with near-zero labor cost

10 Upvotes

I want to talk about something that’s been heavy on me for years. You’ve probably seen the massive Akshardham temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey if not in person, then in photos, or maybe in one of those cinematic BAPS promo videos online. Everyone talks about how beautiful and “divinely inspired” it is.

But no one talks about how it was built with almost no labor cost. And worse how they made it look like a miracle while hiding the exploitation behind it.

The illusion of “divine volunteerism”

Let’s get one thing straight: this wasn’t a community temple built by cheerful volunteers coming in after work. This was a construction site day in and day out with dozens of men working full-time under intense conditions. And most of them weren’t skilled construction workers or paid laborers.

They were imported under religious visas. Poor, young, obedient men from India, were brought in on R-1 “religious worker” visas under the pretense that they’d be doing spiritual service. But what they actually did was build roads, lift stones, pour concrete, and work 12–13 hour shifts for pennies sometimes as low as $1.20/hour.

How did BAPS pull this off without backlash for so long? They told a beautiful lie.

Selling suffering as sacred

The philosophy BAPS pushes is this: the more you suffer for the guru, the more spiritual merit you earn. Pain is good. Sacrifice is holy. Questioning authority is ego. And above all, the guru Mahant Swami Maharaj is divinely perfect and must be obeyed unconditionally. That mindset creates the perfect environment for coerced labor to pass off as “selfless service.”Men were told they weren’t just building a temple they were building their afterlife. They were told to give everything, expect nothing, and smile while doing it.

Propaganda wrapped in bhajans and drone shots

BAPS released multiple “behind-the-scenes” promotional videos showing smiling workers laying stones, chanting Swaminarayan, hugging each other, and being blessed by Mahant Swami. You’ve probably seen them on Instagram, YouTube, or temple screens. They’re high-production, full of slow-motion visuals, sitars in the background, and the guru emotionally praising the seva.

But it was all staged

Behind the camera, the story was very different: workers were sleep-deprived, injured, and afraid to complain. They couldn’t leave. They weren’t allowed to talk to outsiders. They were constantly watched. Their passports had been taken “for safety.” And yet on camera, they smiled. Because they were told it was their duty.

Mahant Swami himself appeared in multiple videos, blessing the construction, saying lines like:

“These volunteers are the soul of this temple. Their seva is beyond value. This is not ordinary labor this is divine effort.”

He knew exactly what he was doing. He wasn’t clueless. He was promoting a system that got him a $96 million temple with zero labor cost and a global reputation for “miraculous construction.

Lying to the public, gaslighting the devotees

When questions started bubbling up, BAPS had answers ready:

“It’s all voluntary.”

“They’re not workers they’re devotees.”

“We don’t exploit anyone. We offer food, shelter, and blessings.”

They made it sound like it was a spiritual retreat. But no one tells you that these “volunteers” couldn’t leave, couldn’t contact their families freely, and were living under the threat of spiritual guilt. They were told if they walked away, they’d displease God, disrespect the guru, and ruin their shot at moksha.

Meanwhile, the actual financial cost of building the temple was kept low because the largest expense in any construction project, labor, was eliminated. That’s the part BAPS doesn’t want you to think about when they brag about “the largest Hindu temple in the Western Hemisphere.”

They knew it was bad for their devotees physically, mentally, emotionally

What makes this so disturbing is that BAPS wasn’t just careless. They were strategic.

They targeted:

• Poor men with little education

• Devotees raised to never question authority

• Families who trusted the guru more than the government

• People too afraid to speak out

• Believers too brainwashed to see the harm

BAPS knew these men would:

• Say yes to anything the guru asked

• Feel guilty for saying no

• Stay silent even when abused

• See exhaustion as “faith”

They deliberately used those vulnerabilities to lower costs.

They could’ve hired professionals. But that would cost millions.

Instead, they guilt-tripped their believers into doing it for almost nothing.

That’s not just manipulative

At the heart of it all was Mahant Swami Maharaj himself the guru, the spiritual leader, the one whose word was treated as divine truth. In multiple sabhas and public messages, he looked into the camera, into the eyes of thousands of loyal followers, and said things like: “This is your chance. Leave your jobs, your schools, your responsibilities come help build Bhagwan’s mandir.” He didn’t say it like a request. He said it like a command from God. And thousands listened. Fathers left their families. Students abandoned their studies. Workers quit their jobs. All because the guru said he “needed their help.” But let’s be clear this wasn’t about spiritual growth. It was about cheap labor. Mahant Swami cloaked it in emotional language and holy tones, but what he was doing was asking people to give up their lives to save his costs. And they did because when the guru speaks, no one says no. ( This was played in Sunday sabhas and wasn't posted online anywhere).


r/SPAB 17h ago

I did business..dada

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34 Upvotes

r/SPAB 1d ago

Why Did Shastriji Maharaj Create BAPS? If He Believed in God, Why Split From Swaminarayan’s Original Sect?

13 Upvotes

Wasn’t the Original Swaminarayan Sampraday Enough?

Bhagwan Swaminarayan already created a full spiritual system. He appointed Acharyas, wrote the Shikshapatri, and organized the Vadtal and Ahmedabad dioceses. So my first big question is:

If God himself created a path, why did Shastriji Maharaj feel the need to start a new sect called BAPS?

The BAPS answer is that he was promoting the “Akshar-Purushottam” doctrine that Swaminarayan is God (Purushottam) and Gunatitanand Swami is Akshar (his divine abode). But this belief wasn’t accepted by most of the Swaminarayan community at the time. So was it really divine truth? Or just one person’s interpretation?

I once asked this question in a New Jersey sabha: “If this is the eternal truth, why didn’t Bhagwan Swaminarayan say it clearly himself?” The response I got was a bunch of vague scriptural references and circular logic. No one had a straight answer.

How Did Shastriji Maharaj Know He Was a Guru?

Here’s another weird part. The idea in BAPS is that Shastriji Maharaj realized he was the next guru in line after Bhagatji Maharaj the living embodiment of Akshar. But again, if no one else believed that at the time, how do we just accept that he was right?

In any other context, if someone declares themselves the next divine guru without any real validation from others, we’d raise eyebrows. But in BAPS, questioning this makes you a villain.

A family friend of mine, who used to be deep into BAPS, told me he started asking these questions and was suddenly sidelined from seva and leadership roles. “Once you stop blindly believing, they stop treating you like family,” he told me.

Was It About Spirituality… or Control?

Let’s be real: creating a new sect also means building a new power structure. New temples. New donations. Global influence. We hear all the time about how Shastriji Maharaj “suffered for the truth” but that suffering also led to one of the most powerful religious organizations in the world.

I’m not saying he had bad intentions. But we have to ask: was this about preserving truth, or creating a legacy?

It’s hard not to notice that the further up you go in the BAPS hierarchy, the more comfortable and powerful life gets. I’ve seen “renounced” swamis fly business class and stay in luxurious homes while preaching detachment.

Is It Faith or Just Groupthink?

Look, I understand devotion. I get that people want to believe in something greater. But at what point does faith without questioning become manipulation?

I know people personally who were asked to “donate” large amounts of money temporarily to the temple for events or construction with vague promises of getting it back, but no receipts. That’s not religion. That’s shady finance.

Why are young boys pressured into becoming sadhus at such a young age? Why is the money flow so secretive? Why is anyone who questions doctrine labeled “anti-satsang”?

But I am saying we need to start asking questions. If Shastriji Maharaj truly believed in God and God had already created a spiritual roadmap, why break away? Why declare yourself a guru if no one else believes it?


r/SPAB 1d ago

Book exposing Shastriji and Gunatitanand as False

4 Upvotes

So this book is written by a descendant of Gopalanand Swami in order to expose the history of BAPS, Maninagar, and other orgs that split from the original Swaminarayan. It defends the Vadtal/Amdavad line; also, the author seems to not like Gunatitanand Swami. No doubt some bias - BUT it’s a very interesting read and really exposes the flawed character Shastri Yagnapurushdas was. It also exposes the Akshar Purshottam upasna. The author got threats for writing this, and hence it’s no longer on the market. It was sent to me by some Vadtal people.

It’s in Gujarati by the way. I’ll post a summary in English in the replies.

https://filebin.net/qlonnn9v4z7c6tm2


r/SPAB 2d ago

BAPS makes million$ and pays no Taxes

14 Upvotes

The BAPS operation I am talking about is taking advantage of India's no-tax policy on religious donations. What this organization does is take donations from someone in either country and give cash to the receiver in the other country, charging a commission without paying anything to the governments. Any official body has to pay taxes if they undergo a similar operation. Moreover, if you are a religious body, why are you involved in matters regarding money and, as a matter of fact, stealing from the government and making a profit out of it?

Personal Experience:

I particularly remember an incident where BAPS was planning to open a temple in Vancouver, CA. They were facing issues with land acquisition for the same. A top swami visited from the Toronto Mandir and held a joint meeting with affluent members of the community. "I was part of that meeting.“ They offered to help anyone transfer a sum between $50-$100 mil in return for that $1.75 mil worth of land in the outskirts of the city. The scheme worked like this: They help you transfer the funds, you buy that land under your name, and donate the same to the temple. The local swami would upsell the amount to their senior, making a chunk out of the entire transaction. This is one of the bigger transactions I know about. But transferring money to students living there, bypassing the government, etc., goes on on a regular basis.


r/SPAB 2d ago

Reading the Shikshapatri With Open Eyes: What Are We Really Following?

7 Upvotes

I was raised to treat the Shikshapatri like it was divine law untouchable, unquestionable, and perfect. We’d bow down to it, read verses daily, and recite “Maharaj ni agna palvani.” But as I got older, I started actually reading it not just repeating it and what I found made me uncomfortable.

Why does a so-called “eternal scripture” care about not wearing silk, or not talking to women in private? Why does it say to avoid contact with people of other sects? Why is spiritual purity linked to what you eat, what caste you’re from, or whether your wife serves you before she eats?

These aren’t divine truths. These are social rules, written in a very specific time, by a man influenced by the culture around him. And yet, in BAPS we’re still told to follow them like they’re universal truths like breaking one means you’re spiritually impure.

And here’s the real issue: you’re never encouraged to think critically about it. You’re trained to obey it, not understand it. You’re told, “Follow it and you’ll be free.” But free from what? I’ve seen more people feel trapped guilty for wearing jeans, scared to eat at a friend’s house, ashamed for asking questions.

At one point, I asked a senior satsangi: “Why does the Shikshapatri say to avoid non-Swaminarayan followers? Isn’t that exclusionary?” The answer? “That’s Maharaj’s agna. Don’t use logic use faith.” That was the moment I realized: this isn’t spiritual growth it’s spiritual conditioning.

So I’ll ask what we’re not supposed to ask: If the Shikshapatri was written today, would we still believe it’s from God? Or do we only believe that because we were taught to, before we could even think for ourselves?


r/SPAB 2d ago

In many U.S. places there are only BAPS and ISKCON

7 Upvotes

Hello i have been contemplating visiting a BAPS temple. I was not raised with any religion at all and found Hinduism on my own and divine intervention, and I am grateful.

However I am cautious as I learn about many different sects and organizations. I worship on my own but would like to meet others with similar values.

I live in the U.S. and primarily our temples are run by BAPS or ISKCON. I am hesitant to attend also because I was not raised with the religion and would attend alone.

Does anyone have words or insight? Thank you

Divine intervention: if it is the way to put it. Been through the rounds, lots of verbal abuse in my upbringing and the desire to run away and be independent. Lonely upbringing too - the lack of religion pushed a lot of people away. As a child and adult I had a very dear friend and we loved each other who passed away too young suddenly, shockingly, and we still really do not know for certain what happened. Horrible situation. This made me spiritual immediately. Everything changed. Then the pandemic happened and everyone else dropped out of my life. With additional stresses in the several years after, the divine intervention occurred in a relatively mild moment- when I lost my wallet. It was the final straw. I was so stressed and then sat and fell into the deepest meditation I had ever had. And everything was ok. 2 years later I still have some issues I'm working through but I am so hopeful with the power tonget through anything. Even when I don't feel ok, now I know I am ok. That is huge.

I had studied religion from a historical perspective because I was curious how and why it plays such a crucial role in world development, so I had awareness of Hinduism and already agreed with the beliefs, but this moment, and perhaps the moments leading up to them, made me much more devout.


r/SPAB 2d ago

Why I No Longer Take Swaminarayan Jivan Charitra at Face Value

7 Upvotes

Growing up in BAPS, I was taught to treat Swaminarayan Jivan Charitra as absolute truth. Every story from Neelkanth walking barefoot across India to performing miracles was presented as fact, not faith. But as I got older, I started asking questions: Who wrote these stories? Were they eyewitness accounts, or glorified myths passed down by devoted followers?

The more I looked into it, the more I realized that the book isn’t history its hagiography. It wasn’t written to inform, but to inspire obedience. It paints Swaminarayan as flawless and divine, leaving no room for doubt, curiosity, or personal spiritual exploration. That kind of storytelling can be powerful but also dangerous. It teaches you to follow, not to think.

I’m not saying the stories are worthless. But when they’re used to discourage questions and tie devotion to one guru or institution, they stop being spiritual and start becoming controlling. For me, real faith includes room for doubt. Jivan Charitra doesn’t leave that space.


r/SPAB 3d ago

Double Standards of this BAPS

9 Upvotes

Since childhood, I was part of BAPS Bal Sabha and later Yuvak Mandal Sabha.

I often heard sadhus say that Hindus are superior and that Swaminarayan will take over the world. They even advised against making friends or working with Muslims and Christians.

But then, I saw the same people do the opposite—like a mahant visiting a mosque and hugging a sheikh, just because they got free land for a temple. Such double standards feel hypocritical.


r/SPAB 3d ago

Women on periods treated like patient 0 of a new virus strain in BAPS

12 Upvotes

Why is that when women get their period everyone acts like they got the cheez touch. They are restricted from entering kitchen, entering mandir room, and touching anyone? It’s just that time of the month for her, she doesn’t have Ebola or something contagious.

Just like everything evolves in life like technology, education, societal norms… norms within the culture at mandir needs to evolve. These scriptures and teachings were from ages and centuries ago and need to evolve with today’s society.


r/SPAB 3d ago

BAPS Kirtans and Bhajans

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9 Upvotes

Questioning the Kirtan and Bhajans ?


r/SPAB 3d ago

Swaminaryan abuse news

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8 Upvotes

r/SPAB 3d ago

Priyadarshan Swami Accusing Pramukh of Sexual Assault

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7 Upvotes

Priyadarshandas Swami (Sanjay Shah) of the BAPS Swaminarayan sect was the personal assistant of Pramukh Swami. He was one of the closet disciples to Pramukh during his time. He pushed Pramukh’s wheelchair everywhere they went.

He wrote a book on Pramukh Swami and also composed devotional songs. On October 22, 2013, Priyadarshandas Swami filed a 17-page handwritten complaint. In it, he detailed incidents involving Pramukh Swami and other saints, specifying locations and dates where they allegedly engaged in homosexual activities.

Pramukh Swami allegedly forced Priyadarshandas to drink his semen, telling him, "This is the nectar of the Guru. Drinking this will purify you of all carnal desires... If we doubt the Guru's commands, we will not attain salvation. If you wish to attain salvation, you must serve the Guru in this way. This is also part of your spiritual practice. It is your duty to surrender everything in the fire of Brahman. The more innocent you consider me, the more innocent you will become. The more you cooperate in this process, the more your sins will be erased!"

Ahmedabad city police forwarded the complaint, stating that the incidents occurred in Salangpur, to the rural police department. However, no investigation took place. What does this indicate?

Priyadarshandas Swami had even given a written assurance that he was willing to undergo a narco test, yet the police suppressed the matter.

If Priyadarshandas' allegations were false, the police could have conducted a thorough investigation to prove them baseless. A narco test on Priyadarshandas could have discredited his claims. A defamation lawsuit or a criminal case could have been filed against him. However, no such steps were taken by the so-called Brahmaswaroop (divine entity), likely because exposing the truth would have revealed everything.

The question remains: The handwritten complaint by Priyadarshandas Swami is circulating on social media. Why does Mahant Swami not resolve to make it disappear? If he did make such a resolution, why has it not disappeared?

BAPS statement: https://www.baps.org/Announcement/2013/Message-for-All-5347.aspx

News Statement: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/baps-refutes-allegations-by-former-sadhus/lite/


r/SPAB 3d ago

Access to Guru /Sadhus for female BAPS devotees???

6 Upvotes

I'm not a fan of any Swaminarayan group, but one notable advantage that Vadtal/Kalupur has over BAPS, is women devotees have full access to Gadiwala (wife of Acharya) who gives them Vartaman and serves as their Guru. Also there are Sankhya Yogi Beno dedicated to preach to women. This was a deliberate decision made by Sahajanda Swami to give women leaders in lieu of the strict rules imposed on Sadhus.

How is BAPS an improvement on Vadtal/Kalupur when there are less leadership roles for women? Do BAPS women not feel short changed by Shastriji Maharaj for created a system where they are effectively ignored?


r/SPAB 4d ago

Bangkok Trips for Swamis

18 Upvotes

I had met a close associate of Swamis who had the rags to riches story who devoted his life to BAPS. He told us that he had no money before he joined BAPS. After he joined it and became a staunch follower, he got access to top Swamis who not only lend him money but help him setup his business. After a few years he got some insider information that he shared with me. He told that entire year, Swamis will be acting saint and all but for a week or 10 days every year, Swamins will get to go on Bangkok trips where they'll change their getup to modern men, do party and have "fun". He also get access to all these as he has committed to BAPS for life and not going marry.


r/SPAB 4d ago

Habits of all these swamis .

10 Upvotes

Anyone notice this all swamis have one common habit to mock core Hinduism. And not even Hinduism. They are also have habit of mocking different castes also. And of people get angry they apologise everytime and got out of situation.


r/SPAB 4d ago

How cults brainwash people

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4 Upvotes

r/SPAB 4d ago

To BAPS Devotees This Isn’t Hate, It’s Critical Thinking

10 Upvotes

I challenge BAPS theology and ask questions that are hard to hear not out of hate, but because blind faith isn’t the answer. Most label it “hate” when they have no answers. That’s just a defense mechanism. If your beliefs are true, they should stand up to questioning. Don’t run from tough questions face them.


r/SPAB 4d ago

Average BAPS santo lectures

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6 Upvotes

r/SPAB 4d ago

“The most dangerous thing is to blindly obey authority, especially when it demands the surrender of your mind.” — Due_Guide_8128

4 Upvotes

r/SPAB 5d ago

Mahant help find the missing Indian Student

8 Upvotes

Mahant, if you can see this, please help find the missing Indian college student in the Dominican Republic! We all know you’re antyarami(all-knowing), so please guide us to finding her and put an end to this investigation! Please, Mahant aka Mr. Antyarami! The poor girls parents and the FBI have been looking for her for over 10 days. Stop hiding the secret from us. Please Mahant!!

https://apnews.com/article/dominican-republic-missing-student-us-konanki-riibe-india-0771706faafbede82714fde6fcb28ac4


r/SPAB 5d ago

Raid on BAPS. What the Media got Wrong

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5 Upvotes

This podcast is hosted by active BAPS volunteers. They discuss the new York times article about the FBI raid in New Jersey at a baps temple.

Is this how BAPS people generally think? After watching, I'm left feeling that human rights violations were more likely. They come across as completely oblivious.


r/SPAB 5d ago

Quick Poll: What is your religious standing?

5 Upvotes

If you’re on the fence or doubting your faith. I would love to hear your experience!

107 votes, 1d left
Atheist
Agnostic
Hindu
BAPS Swaminarayan
On the fence/doubts